Bassist organises flashmob-style performances to protest against UK cuts to music education

Pop-up orchestras are expected to give simultaneous renditions of Lalo Schifrin’s Mission Impossible theme in cities across the UK today (Friday 10 December). The orchestras are due to take to the streets and shopping centres of London, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Cardiff and Liverpool at 6pm for impromptu performances in protest against proposed government cuts to arts funding and music education.

Manchester-based double bassist Heather Bird came up with the idea for the protest, dubbed the Guerilla Orchestra, after watching a flashmob performance at The Hague central station by musicians protesting against Dutch government plans to scrap a major music centre.

The UK coalition government is proposing to cut the teaching funding for conservatoire- and university-level music education, which would substantially increase the debt burden for young musicians when they graduate.